


Destruction Breeds Creation

by starkanium



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-04-01 07:30:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4011148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkanium/pseuds/starkanium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s something he’s heard many times before and prayed he’d never hear again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Destruction Breeds Creation

It hadn’t taken Tony long to gather the Avengers after the Chitauri Invasion. 

Clint and Natasha had returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. and lived aboard the helicarrier so they could be efficiently and effectively dispatched on impromptu missions; Thor had travelled to New Mexico to live with his girlfriend, Jane Foster, for the time being; Bruce had fled to some foreign country that Tony couldn’t bother to conjure the name of; Steve had rented an apartment room somewhere in Brooklyn. 

After the Invasion, Tony deemed the flickering glow of the remaining letter ‘A’ on Stark Tower a sign and demanded that they all acted upon it. It didn’t take much convincing for Clint, Natasha, and Thor to move in, but Steve and Bruce were different cases.

It didn’t bother Tony much when Steve refused his invitation put in an oh-so eloquently worded letter (Hey Capsicle! Come live at the newly dubbed Avengers Tower because we have food and games and nice training equipment and all kinds of stuff to do here and it would kind of be cool for all of us to get together and do stuff, y’know?) because he was a righteous asshole that didn’t deserve any of Tony’s cool toys anyway.

But when Bruce admitted that he was terrified of returning to the states because it would put both his life in danger and the others around him, Tony had seen red. After all that Bruce and The Other Guy had done in the Invasion surely would have gotten the military off his tail, right? And if not, well, Tony could easily take care of that situation. There was already enough blood on his hands, what would another few drops be?

That’s exactly what Tony had told Bruce, and Bruce just seemed all the more mortified after that. Tony later admitted that it wasn’t his best tactile decision, but he promised to do better next time. 

The thing that really sold Bruce Banner, though, was the special floor on the tower equipped with all sorts of cheap and smashable items and Stark designed, reinforced walls that ensured the tower remained standing in case of a Hulk-out.

After they all moved in, all was well and dandy until Cap decided that he actually did want to move in a week after everyone was finally situated.

Tony wasn’t one to hold grudges (usually), so he invited the Captain in with still open arms and hoped to mend the breaks between them.

Ultimately, each and every single one of the Avengers were settled in the tower only two weeks after the Invasion, even if Tony didn’t see any of them other than Bruce until the third week. When he did finally see them, though, he couldn’t say that it was a pleasant encounter.

He stepped through the doorway of the communal living room, which he’d spent a large amount of time designing and decorating, to find each member of the team snuggled up on the oversized couch, watching what seemed like a cheap knockoff of Jaws.

“And I thought Jaws couldn’t get any worse,” Tony announced as he strided into the room. 

Five heads snapped in his direction, each glaring at him in response.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know I could offend you all so easily. If I did, I’d have Cap-”

“Stark, we are trying to enjoy a movie. You’re ruining it,” Captain Stick-Up-My-Ass interrupted. He shot Tony a dirty look, daring him to continue. Tony decided he’d back down, just this once.

“Sure thing, Capsicle. I guess I’ll just join you then,” he said as he sat down on the edge of the couch beside Clint.

Now, the thing about Clint was that he was hard to predict. He wasn’t exactly emotionally unstable after the whole mind-control issue, but it was a near thing. Maybe erratic would describe his behavior a little better. Either way, Tony was a little nervous sitting beside the guy. His muscles were bunched up and tense and the way that he was steadfastly staring at the television in front of him and ignoring everyone around him scared Tony a bit.

“What’s up, Merida? Haven’t seen you in quite a while,” Tony whispered, leaning toward the other man slightly.

Clint was in his face before he even knew what was going on. 

“Call me that again and see what happens,” he muttered, a dangerous note to his voice. 

And, because Tony is apparently suicidal, he opened his mouth to say it again, just to annoy the guy, but a low growl from Steve makes him rethink it. 

“I told you, we’re trying to enjoy a movie. If you’re going to keep talking through the entire thing, just leave. Don’t you have anything else to do, anyway?”

It certainly wasn’t the most offending thing anyone’s ever said to him, not by a long shot, but something about Steve’s tone and the snarled expression on his face angered Tony more than it should. _Way_ more than it should, really, and Tony snapped.

“First of all, I own this tower and could kick your ass to the curb if I wanted to-”

“Oh, of course you pull the ‘rich guy’ card-”

“Second of all, I’ve only said a few words, I’m sorry that’s so awful-”

“A few words from you are a few words too many-”

“Third, you’re just some dumb kid from the ‘40s, you have no right to talk to me like-”

“And you’re just a worthless fool!”

And didn’t that take the fight out of Tony in a heartbeat. At some point during their argument, the rest of the team fled the scene. Tony may have seen a red cape disappear around the door frame’s corner. While Tony was busy trying to teach himself how to breathe again (Afghanistan all over again), Steve continues his rant, not slowing at all.

“The only good thing you’ve ever done was flying that nuke through the portal. Other than that, you’re just worthless! You flaunt your fortune and fame like you know nothing else but that. Heck, you’ve killed your own people and civilians with those weapons you made! I don’t understand how anyone can put up with you for longer than a few minutes because I can’t even handle a few seconds!”

His chest was heaving up and down, which Tony would’ve found fascinating, because a super soldier shouldn’t be out of breath from a short rant, if he wasn’t so dumbstruck. The word keep replaying itself in his mind, _worthless_. It’s something he’s heard many times before and prayed he’d never hear again. 

He met Steve’s gaze, realizing for the first time that he’d looked away, before turning on his heel and walking from the room. Whatever, he didn’t need to watch some stupid movie with his stupid team anyway, his ‘bots were better.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is just a really short starting chapter. I kinda don't know where I'm going with this or even if I'll continue it. Probably not. Let me know what you thought? Pretty please?


End file.
